The invention concerns a refrigerated display case or merchandiser for cut flowers or other merchandise. One aspect of the invention is concerned with a floral display case which achieves laminar flow of cooling air over the cut flowers in the case, and which can be configured either as an open display case, with an open top, open front, and low profile, or as a traditional cabinet type display with a top or ceiling covering the top, and perhaps containing lighting fixtures. Either configuration achieves improved presentation, as well as improved preservation of the flowers or other merchandise. Another aspect of the invention is concerned with a floral merchandiser that has receptacles especially adapted to receive palletizable wet-pack containers, so that these can be loaded directly into the merchandiser for display and without unnecessary repackaging or other handling of the flowers or other delicate botanicals.
Refrigerated display cases are frequently used in markets for presenting merchandise that must be kept cold, such as dairy products. In the case of floral merchandisers or display cabinets, there have been a number of open refrigerated display cases proposed, and several of these appear in U.S. Pats. Nos. 4,608,835; 4,608,776 and 4,680,942. In each case, the cabinet contains refrigeration equipment for chilling air that circulates through, and there is an open display portion, in which vases or containers are seated in openings or receptacles in shelves. In each case, there is a top wall over the shelves of flowers, and refrigerated air flow is directed downwards from a top grating in the top wall down to a return grating inside the cabinet, at the inner wall of the front of the cabinet. The downward flow of air requires that the cold air be pumped or blown up to the top wall. The need for this top wall increases the height and weight of the display unit, and also creates a somewhat less inviting presentation to the customer.
Also, in the display cases of the prior art, the return air intake grating, being positioned at the base and at the inside of the cabinet, collects flower petals, dead leaves and other debris, which can affect the operation of the unit, and which require special cleaning. Some of these drop through and collect in the drain pan below the evaporator coil. In addition, positioning the return intake inside the cabinet makes it impossible for the unit to pick up chilled air that spills out the open front, thereby limiting the recirculation and limiting efficiency of the unit. This also increases the amount of warm air that is sucked into the unit.
Recently, a wet-packaging system for packaging and shipping cut flowers from grower to florist has made it possible to ship flowers upright with the stems in water. This system permits the flowers to be shipped with a minimum of shock and without risk of drying out. Also, some floral varieties are rather geotropic, and have to be shipped and stored vertically to prevent their stems from developing bends. The containers for this can be stacked on a pallet or in a crate, and sent by truck or air freight without leakage of the liquid from the containers. One such system is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,799. The bouquets of cut flowers are placed upright into a plastic container, with an amount of water, plus other nutrients. A corrugated sleeve is placed around upper parts of the flowers, and then a cover is placed on the sleeve. Another container can be placed on top of this, so that it is possible to stack several layers of these wet packs on a single pallet. In addition, the plastic container is given a geometry to maximize the density of containers on a pallet, for example, rectangular and about 10 inches by 12 inches. Once the pallet of floral containers reaches the florist, the containers can be removed from the pallet, and the flowers can be placed in a suitable merchandiser or other display unit for retailing. In practice, this means removing the flowers or bouquets from the shipping container and placing them in vases in the merchandiser. In theory, it is possible to use the shipping containers directly, i.e., for the flowers to be displayed at retail in the shipping container without transfer to a bucket or vase. However, because of the size and shape of the containers, this means placing the container directly on the floor of the shop, or on a shelf. Present day floral merchandisers are not adapted with sockets, receptacles, or holders for receiving the wet shipping containers directly.